Rams/Raiders Joint Practice

[OldSchool]

I am not sure. I thought his contract wasn’t that big

There's a big hit if moved this year if I remember correctly

 

[majrleaged]

Interested that this hasn't been more of a topic of convo... really does seem to speak to a difference in defense which everyone has been clamoring for.

In another tweet, Ted mentioned we were two-gapping on the Dline but not sure if he just wasn't catching the technique as gap and a half or if we've changed it up.

Nate Tice and Robert Mayes have banged the drum more than once this offseason that we'd have to be more aggressive with our defense with such young guys.

So what coverage's were we playing... Cover-O, Cover-1... how many guys were we sending? If we're blitzing more, I would expect more man coverage then which would be a big shift. Curious how Tomlinson, Wetherspoon, and Durant operate in man.

Ted mentioned rub routes... you run those to beat man. Get ready boys. It's a new day.

I'll believe it when i see it.

 

[oldnotdead]

When I watched Hopkins in the SB I hoped that maybe the light had finally come on for him. For those of us vets the old adage of you fight like you train, in sports is you need to play as you practice. As he gains experience the game slows down for him and he can simply go out and play without overthinking everything. I think the Rams might feel the same way about Hunter Long who the Dolphins said was lazy or slow. I think they might see a player who is simply taking longer to adjust from Boston College to the NFL, in the same way we are seeing Atwell finally looking like he might have a breakout season.

Hopkins looks to be their receiving TE while Long looks like a Higbee style TE who can block. That is to say he's not fast, but has good hands and is a very willing blocker in pass pro or in the run game.

Regarding the DBs playing aggressively it's what I expected Pleasant to bring to the Rams. The aggressive style of DB play they showed when he was coaching DBs under Staley and Phillips. As I've said its not the scheme be it man or zone, it's how it's played. Raheem is too passive, and that should be obvious to anyone who is critically watching how they play. If Pleasant is indeed coaching them to be more aggressive, that really changes the equation when looking at the defense. When they hit their stride say by November, this could be a very good defense.

Regarding the two gapping Morris uses the combination DL of two gap and one gap play. It's very clear in how they are playing the DL that they are no longer attacking but playing Fangio's hybrid front. It's not one and a half gapping it's read/react which is dumb on the DL because it slows down their penetration. It was really obvious last year if you knew how this DL played under Phillips and Staley. They aren't attacking they are trying to read the play. Fangio's style is passive and it fits with Raheem's overall bend not break philosophy. Fangio is all about defending the LOS not attacking and disrupting. Read/react is how you play your LBs not your DL.

So you guys now see I'm not the only one seeing it. IMO Aubrey is probably why we are seeing Rochell back in the mix when he was in Siberia last year. If Aubrey is given free rein to play who he thinks is best and not Morris' buddies, and play them aggressively then this secondary could be very good. It's why don't be surprised to see Durant and Tomlinson as their starting two outside CBs. Tomlinson will probably slide inside when they want him to play SCB in nickel. Then I expect to see Rochell or Witherspoon rotate in to play the boundary.

My only real concerned with playing Tomlinson outside is durability. Small boundary CBs take a beating. It's why traditionally they are looked at as SCBs.

 

[snackdaddy]

So what does the starting defense look like? Depth chart has Donald, Copeland and Brown up front. Young and Hoecht OLB's. Rozeboom and Jones ILB's. I assume Durant and Witherspoon at the corners? Johnson and Fuller at safeties. Nickle is a position that sees a lot of snaps. Tomlinson is looking pretty good there. I would think Rozeboom comes out in that case.

One guy I think we overlook is Hoecht. He showed some promise as a pass rusher if he can get his run defense cleaned up. He tended to get caught out of position too many times. A little big for the OLB position but has a good motor.

But I have no idea how Hoecht is coming along. I've heard nothing about him during practices, scrimmages, games. Nothing good. Nothing bad. Just nothing. Is he even out there playing?

 

[dang]

Should I stop calling him “Crappolo”?
View attachment 60935

Perhaps … but he’ll always be Jimmy G-String to me.

 

[Snaz]

But I have no idea how Hoecht is coming along. I've heard nothing about him during practices, scrimmages, games. Nothing good. Nothing bad. Just nothing. Is he even out there playing?

He played in Preseason Game One 20% of Defense Snap Counts
He has been reported on several times, nothing extraordinary.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

Agreed. If anything, just throw in some Jimmy Gonorrhea every once in a while to keep things... Errr. Umm... Fresh?

Jimmy Gag-a-pole

 

[snackdaddy]

He played in Preseason Game One 20% of Defense Snap Counts
He has been reported on several times, nothing extraordinary.

I'm hoping he could become a decent pass rusher. Seemed like he got pressure quite a few times last year. But you don't see 300LB OLB's very often. What he has going for him is his relentless motor. We'll see how it goes.

Wasn't impressed with Young the first preseason game. He's got some things to learn. Hopefully he figures it out soon.

 

[Snaz]

I for one think they should switch to a 4-3 or 4-2
Hoecht then could be a DE

This 3-4 and 3-3 Crap letting them run on us... then again we all could have been defensive coordinators last year.

Plus we don't really have NT build linemen.

 

[oldnotdead]

Hoecht can be a very good edge. If Morris will simply come off of his read/react combo DL. You can't get pressure with 4 guys if they are reading before they are reacting. It guarantees a QB probably at least 3 or more seconds to pick apart the secondary.

Hoecht had never played edge before last year. He was a 3T behind AD as a replacement for Fox. He's a big man with 4.6 speed. He didn't know how to set an edge or the nuances of playing the position. This year he should be better. Even Donald's production hit career lows last year, even accounting for missing 6 games. That is the result of read/react on the DL. You play that style when you have marginal players who can't dominate.

A 3-4 hybrid is what most teams play. It's a one gap attacking style scheme. It's what you play if you want to rush only 4 DL. Two gapping your NT requires 2 ILBs but Morris normally only plays 2 LB totally as he prefers nickel in his zone secondary. This is why since many times Morris only plays 2 LBs his combo DL can't stop the run. If he's going to play that style up front then he must play 3 LBs to secure the flats and perimeter runs. Why do you think Wagner left? He saw Morris playing that style with only 2 ILBs himself and Jones. If you are going to play that style you need to play a SAM, MIKE and WIL or the defense will be vulnerable to power inside runs and perimeter runs. Both of which they were last year.

The Rams beat the Niners to advance to the SB because Howard was playing WIL and in position to make the INT or the tackle. If Howard had been playing SAM that INT doesn't happen. Phillips played a 3-4 hybrid scheme he learned in SD. The D was ranked 10th and he got fired. Last year the D was ranked 19th by some and not better than 17th and Morris is still here. People blame the players, but Morris had Ramsey, AD and Wagner.

If Pleasant can get this secondary back to playing aggressively, that will help what will be an under performing DL if Morris stays with his combination 1 & 2 gap front. I've said this before but now you have confirmation I'm not the only one seeing it. That is why the edges look so poor. Don't blame the players when they are being coached to play soft up front.

 

[TexasRam]

I've said this before but now you have confirmation I'm not the only one seeing it. That is why the edges look so poor. Don't blame the players when they are being coached to play soft up front.

We don't need confirmation. A dam idiot could see the soft defensive approach. I can't tell you how many casual friends and coworker asked me the last couple years why the Rams constantly played such a soft prevent approach all game.

I honestly don't know anyone that denies it. It does get explained however. Usually the excuse was the lack of talent and experience on the backend to keep the play from going over the top for a TD or big play. Play the odds that eventually the offense would make a mistake, Donald would get a sack, or worst case scenario the Rams would force clock burning and an eventual FG.

Clearly Mcvay is OK with the prevent-all-game approach as Morris is still here.

Morris did adjust his approach in the Super Bowl run post season. So hard to knock a guy who turned it up in the postseason when it mattered most. Even if he did have some extra pieces (Miller and Weddle). We held the Bengals to 13 points when you take away the BS Higgins TD.

 

[shovelpass]

In another tweet, Ted mentioned we were two-gapping on the Dline but not sure if he just wasn't catching the technique as gap and a half or if we've changed it up.

Jump to about 50 seconds in, McVay talks about maintaining gap and a half upfront after a long run.

It's possible they were trying something different at joint practice.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Jump to about 50 seconds in, McVay talks about maintaining gap and a half upfront after a long run.

It's possible they were trying something different at joint practice.

I think Ted got the coverage right but the gap plays wrong. I would expect us to play more man this year, not a ton more but definitely more.